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House Party Beating Suspect Slapped with Felony Charges

Felony charges have been filed against a man in connection a February fight at an Orinda house party that left a victim with an injury he is still hospitalized for, prosecutors said Tuesday. Elyce Kirchner reports. (Published Tuesday, April 12, 2016)

Felony charges have been filed against a man in connection a February fight at an Orinda house party that left a victim with an injury he is still hospitalized for, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Falealea Tytus Maka, 21, was charged with attempted murder and aggravated mayhem along with an enhancement for causing a person to become comatose and/or suffer a brain injury, Deputy District Attorney Melissa Smith said.

The charges stem from a Feb. 13 incident that Maka was arrested for in San Leandro last week, according to the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office.

At 1:53 a.m. on the date of the incident, Maka was allegedly involved in a fight that broke out during a house party on Camino Encinas. The violent spat occurred outside a house, featuring five bedrooms and five bathrooms, that was advertised online for $875 a night.

Sheriff's officials said Maka knocked the person he was fighting unconscious and continued to beat the victim afterwards.

The victim, who is still in the hospital after suffering a serious head injury initially reported as life-threatening, is a 21-year-old Florida man who was attending Chabot College in Hayward, according to the sheriff's office.

"I consider this to be a very safe community, so it is disturbing for me," Orinda resident Debbie Pellegrini said.

Maka was later identified as a suspect and arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service as well as a unit with the sheriff's office. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant in Utah in connection with a home invasion and armed robbery, sheriff's officials said.

Surveillance video from the December 2015 incident in Utah shows Maka walk into a house, point his gun at a father and son, and prepare to fire shots.

The suspect has been booked into Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of attempted murder and is being held on $2 million bail. Maka is slated to make his first court appearance in Martinez for an arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Orinda officials already have an ordinance in place that holds homeowners responsible for rowdy parties. The city is now considering banning online property rentals done though through Airbnb, HomeAway and others.

Other cities in Contra Costa County, including Danville, have already put such prohibitions in place.